Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray
Thomas Graywas an English poet, letter-writer, classical scholar and professor at Pembroke College, Cambridge University. He is widely known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth26 December 1716
fate limits vulgar
Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate, Beneath the good how far,-but far above the great.
gratitude voice stills
The still small voice of gratitude.
nature voice fire
E'en from the tomb the voice of nature cries, E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires.
fancy breathe rings
Bright-eyed Fancy, hov'ring o'er, Scatters from her pictured urn Thoughts that breathe and words that burn.
sleep cells rude
Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
adventure littles reign
Some bold adventurers disdain The limits of their little reign, And unknown regions date descry.
eye gay men
To contemplation's sober eye, Such is the race of man; And they that creep, and they that fly, Shall end where they began, Alike the busy and the gay, But flutter through life's little day.
woe hue bliss
The hues of bliss more brightly glow, Chastis'd by sabler tints of woe.
may
We frolic while 'tis May.
solitude sorrow form
Sorrow's faded form, and solitude behind.
spring wings taste
The insect-youth are on the wing, Eager to taste the honied spring, And float amid the liquid noon!
summer spring flower
T'was Spring, t'was Summer, all was gay Now Autumn bears a cloud brow The flowers of Spring are swept way And Summer fruits desert the bough
support age doe
The language of the age is never the language of poetry, except among the French, whose verse, where the thought or image does not support it, differs in nothing from prose.
littles proud lows
How low, how little are the proud, How indigent the great!